Leonard b



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-#Sheet 1.

C. O. YALE, Decdf L. B. YALE, Administrator.V

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER. Y

No. 559,346. Patented Apr.l 28, 1896'.

INVE'NT mi.,

(No Model.) 2 sham-sheet 2.

C. O. YALE, Deod.

L. B. YALE, Administrator. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER.

Paten'ged Apr. 28, 1896. 4f fg 7/2 45 #yg WITNE/E/s. NVE'TO i l M 01C/ dUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

cHARLES o. YALE, or eLovERSvILLE, NEW'YORK, LEONARD E. YALE ADMINISTRATOR or SAID CHARLES o. YALE, DEcEAsED.

AUToMATlC sPHINKLl-:Rl

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,346, dated April 28, 1896.

Application filed July 16, 1894. Serial No.1517,631` (No model.)

T0 ctZZ whom it Netty concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. YALE, of Gloversville, in the county of Fulton and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Sprinklers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which Will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of 4reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in automatic sprinklers.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a plan view of the device. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation. Fig. 3 shows an end View as seen from the left of Fig. 2. Figs. L1 and 5 show details relating to a gravity-catch shown in closed and open position, respectively. Fig. 6 shows details of construction of the thermal catch-actuator. Fig. 7 shows a longitudinal section of the device on a vertical plane. Fig. 8 shows a longitudinal section of the device, on a horizontal plane, in a different position of parts. Fig. 9 shows the same as Fig.7 in one of its Several positions of parts. Fig. 10 shows the saine as Fig. 8 in one of its severalpositions.

Referring to the reference-numerals in a more particular description of the device, 1 indicates the body of the device, fwhich, as shown, consists of a short section of tube. One end of the body is threaded, as shown at 2, to adapt it` to engage in a pipe-iitting. In one end of the body is provided a `valve- Seat 3, adapted to receive the valve 11, which when in` position on the seat Will close the inlet-opening 5. The face of the valve is provided with a packing 45, of Soft metal or other suitable material, adapted to rest on the projecting rim or edge of the valvefseat 3, as shown. The valveis provided with a stem 4b, which extends through the body 1 to What may be termed the rear end thereof, and is providedwith a fixed collar 6 and a slotted opening 7. l

The valve-body 4 is adapted to run through a perforation in the partition 8, provided in the body of the device, and is guided and held at its rear portions by a ring 9 and a ring 10,

through which it is adapted to slide freely, except that as to the ring 10 the movement is limited by a cross-pin 11, Which extends through the slotted opening 7 in the valvev stem and engages in the Walls of the ring 10. The rings 9 and 10 are also adapted to move freely in the tubular body 1, and the ring 10 is also preferably provided with a flanged extension 10iL to furnish a better guide for the ring 1-0 and preventit from binding or Wedging in the body. The ring 9 forms a base for the spring 12, Which is introduced between it and the ring or collar 10. The ring 9 is held in positionv by the lever 13, which is pivoted at 14 in ears on one side of the open end of the body and is held at the other to arm 15 bya piece 16, soldered on with soft solder. The ring 9 is directly held by a pair of ears or projections 13n from the lever 13, which are provided on each side of the central opening 13b therein and project into a position to engage the ring. The opening 13b in the lever 13 is of suiicient size to allow the rear end of the valvestein to freely pass through the same.

The spring 12, with the ring or collar 10, is held in checkin normal position by a gravity-4 catch 17, pivoted in lugs 18 on the side of the body, tlfe catch being provided With a substantially` square shoulder 17 on one end adapted to engage the ring or collar 10, and an inclined face 17 b on the other end adapted to engage the iXed collar (i on the valve-stem. The spring 12, with the collar` 10, is also adapted to be held in check under certain conditions by catch 19, pivoted at 2O` to ears on the side of the body and operated bya spring 21to cause it to project through an opening in the side of the body into the interior in position to secure the ring 10 when not otherwise held. For controlling the action or operation of thecatch 19 I provide `a thermal actuator 22, which consists of a curved or semicircular tube 23, substantially rectangular in cross-section, as clearly seen by comparison of Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, and S. This tube is secured at one end in a base-piece24f,

which base-piece is secured by screws 25 on'a suitable facingon the side of the body of the device.

The tube 23 is filled entirely full of alcohol or some other liquid possessing the property of large expansion under heat. In order to facilitate the filling of the tube 23 entirely full of the fluid, I provide the inner surface of the. end piece of the tube in a V shape, as shown at 26 in Fig. 6, the V shape terminating at the on-ly opening into the tube, which is closed by screw or cap 27, and when the device is filled may be sealed with solder if desired.

In order to insulate the actuator device from the variations of temperature on the body of the device, there is introduced between the base 24 and the face on which it is secured a packing 28, of asbestos or some suitable materiahwhich is a non-conductor of heat. Between the free end 22n of the device and the catch 19 is introduced an adjustable connection 29, the adjustment being provided by constructing the connection in two pieces with a slot 29:L in one, and a set-screw 29b passing through the slot and engaging the other piece, as shown. The connecting-rod 29 engages the catch 19 by means of a pin 30, provided in one of the arms of the catch, engaging in a slotted opening 31-in the end of the connection 29.

For securing the valve 4 positively and securely on the seat of the inlet-openin g there is provided a holding-lever 32, pivoted on the pintle 14 with the lever 13 and having an adjustable set-screw 33, adapted to engage against the rear end of the valve-stem 4b. The lever 32 is held in position byapiece 34, soldered with soft solder onto the arm 15. The solder usedy in soldering' the piece 34 onto the arm 15 is of a kind that is fusible at a lower temperature than that used in soldering the piece 16 onto the arm.

The ends of the levers 13 and 32 are preferably both forked to engage on both sides of the arm 15, and the solder may be applied to one or both sides of the arm 15, as found most desirable. Between the partition Sand the valve-seat is provided a chamber 35, from which extends the discharge-nozzle' 36, the nozzle playing onto a plate 37, supported by arms 38 on the lower end of the nozzle, which plate is provided with a central cone or elevation 39 and upwardly-inclined fingers 40 around its periphery, forming a sprinkler.

In order to protect the thermal actuator 22 from the spray from the sprinkler, there may be provided a shield 41, extending from the lower side of the body to a distance therefrom to protect the actuator from the lower side. This shield may be dispensed with in certain cases where a different form of sprinkler is usedv or under other varying conditions, and it is also obvious that the thermal actuator may be entirely incased, if found desirable. In order to allow any water that may leak between the partition 8 and the valve-body during the operation of the device to escape, I provide an opening 42 in the wall of the body.

ping the action of the sprinkler.

The operation of the device-is substantially as follows: The sprinkler is attached to a water-pipe by the screw 2, in which a constant pressure of water or air is maintained. The valve 4 is held firmly onto the seat 3 by the sei curing-lever 32, held by soft solder, as before 4 stated, and the ad just-ing set-screw 33, pressing against the end of the valve-stem. In this position the water or air under pressure inthe feed-pipe is held in check and ready for use. The spring 12 is also held in the position shown in Fig. 7 at one end by the lever 13, secured by soft solder, as stated. At the other end it is held in check by the collar or ring 10 and the catch 17, with its shoulder 17%.

projecting into the interior of the body in position to engage the face of the collar 10. In this position the parts remain until the device is heated sufficiently to melt the solder, which secures the piece 34 and the lever 32. When this is done, the pressure of the supply of water through the inlet 5 forces the valve 4 back from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 8. At the same time that the temperature is raised sufficiently to fuse the solder which secures the leverr 32 the thermal actuator 22 is heated, and in heating expands, so that its free end moves in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, and when so expanded the catch 19 is moved by the spring 21 into the position shown in Fig. 3, so as to engage the face of the ring or col'lar 10, the same being held back by catch 17 sufficiently, so that the end of the catch 19 will freely enter. At the time that the valve is forced back by the pressure of the water entering through the inlet-opening the fixed ring 6 on the valvestem engages on the inclined face 17b of the catch 17 and throws the catch out, so that the shoulder 17 a thereof will not engage the collar 10, and the collar is at thattime held in check by the catch 19. In this position the parts remain with the sprinkler in full operation until the temperature of the thermal catch-actuator is reduced to its normal position, in which case it contracts, and its free end 22 moves in the opposite direction from that shown by the arrow in Fig. 8. IV hen it has resumed its normal position, the adjustment of parts is such that by the thrust movement on the connection 29 the catch 19 will be withdrawn, releasing the collar 10, which is instantly moved forward by the action of the spring 12, forcing the valve and stem forward from the position shown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 9, closing the inlet-opening and shutting off the supply of water and thus stop- In case the temperature of the surroundings of the sprinkling device should again rise to a point suflicient to melt the solder which secures the piece 16 holding the lever 13 the lever `13 would, together with the washer, spring 12, collar 10, valve-stem and valve, all be forced back from the position shown in Fig. 9 to that shown in Fig. 10 by the pressure of IOO IIO

lthe Water at the inlet-opening 5, and the sprinkler Would a second time be in full operation.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination in an automatic sprinkler, of a valve, a valve-securing device held by solder, a spring for closing` the valve, a catch securing the spring under tension and a thermal actuator connected With the catch.

2. In a sprinkler, a body having a valveseat, a valve, a valve-holding means secured by solder, a valve-closing spring, tWo catches securing the spring under tension, one operated by the valve, the other operated by the thermal actuator, combined.

3. In an automatic sprinkler, a body having a valve-seat, a valve, means for securing the valve on the seat held by solder, a spring tensioned to hold the valve on the seat held at its base end by solder, a catch for holding the spring in check, and a thermal actuator connected with the catch, combined substantially as set forth.

4. In a sprinkler device, the combination of a valve-seat and valve, a spring for closing the valve, means for holding the valve and means for holding` the spring each held by solder fusible at different temperatures.

5. In a sprinkling device, the combination of the valve, the valve-seat, the spring for closing the valve, the tWo levers for holding the valve and spring respectively, and solder fusible at different temperatures to admit of the releasement of the levers at dierent temperatures, securing the levers, substantially as 'set forth.

In Witness whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

CHARLES O. YALE. 

